


From A Distance, We Meet (And Slowly Does Love Come Around)

by Lady_Katana4544 (orphan_account), orphan_account



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Behind the Scenes, F/M, Getting Together, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Rare Pairings, Very slight background pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-12
Updated: 2019-07-12
Packaged: 2020-06-27 01:52:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19780813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Lady_Katana4544, https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Hope you enjoy :)





	From A Distance, We Meet (And Slowly Does Love Come Around)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [28ghosts](https://archiveofourown.org/users/28ghosts/gifts).



> Hope you enjoy :)

Her head pounded, making her eyes ache as Nebula watched Stark has been taken away by his companions to the lighted building that surrounded the field their ship had been deposited onto and breathed slowly. She's not sure how long that she stands there at the bottom of the vessel –a loyal vessel that had served her sister well before Thanos had killed her– before Rocket and a lone human approached her.

Nebula stares at them silently assessing their strength before her legs decided that they no longer wanted to support her weight and she sits down, glaring at the two of them to say something.

Rocket rolls his eyes before moving to sit next to her as the human shifts his weight awkwardly. She distantly notes that he has braces of some sort on his legs and for all appearances, had a handsome visage. Curiously enough despite, she finds that this Terran is piquing her interest.

"Will you two be alright here?"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it from here. Give us a moment or two alone, and we'll join you when we can, Rhodes."

The question jolts her back to tired awareness, forcing herself not to tense as Rocket answers the inquiry. Tiredly and quiet, she watches the two of them converse. The Terran meets her gaze – some foreign response seems to pass between them – before he eventually leaves them alone, and Rocket gently takes hold of her hand. She turns her eyes and attention towards him.

"I apologize that Stark and I didn't have the others with us," Nebula finally says quietly, her heart tightening with unnamed emotions that she refuses to give a name too. "That we failed to take down Thanos on Titan."

"At least we didn't lose you as well," Rocket responds, equally soft.

"Hmm."

"Enough with this, let's get you indoors and shove some food down your throat. These Terrans don't have bad choices when it comes to food."

She snorts as Rocket gently shoves her onto her feet and orders her into one of the building. Nebula pretends that she doesn't see the outline of Rhodes watching them from an open doorway nearby.

Some small part of her feels briefly amused that Rocket feels the need to keep her close to him as he helps her settle into the quarters; though she does not comment on the matter as she lays down on one of the unused cots in the otherwise bare room.

*

For a backwater technological race, Terrans are rather strange creatures. Nebula decides in the quiet of her mind as she watches the so-called Avengers move through the compound from a distance. During their time stuck in space after the botched encounter with Thanos where they weren't sure of their survival, Stark had told her of the Avengers that had gone rogue against the government. He'd told her of the bonds that had formed after their first team up against a common enemy and then how it shattered when the Accords were newly created back then; of how Rogers had wished to save a friend by going against them and being forced to disclose a secret that he had knowingly kept from Stark.

So she's somewhat suspicious of them and isn't pleased when Stark leaves her alone among their number – though he does quietly extend her an invitation to join him at any time she is need of a break from the Rogues. She eyes them with quiet disdain whenever one of them tries to approach her in an attempt to make conversation until they get uncomfortable and decide to leave her alone.

Nebula knows it amuses Rocket as each night, he will tell her about the Captain visiting him to discover ways to talk with her. Nebula allows herself a small smile as she goes through some stretching exercises to keep herself limber.

"Hey."

Hiding her surprise, she stops her movement and looks to see that Rhodes has joined her. How he had managed that so quietly without her notice, is something that will bother her.

"Rhodes. Did you need something?" Nebula asks softly.

"Call me, Rhodey, please. I was wondering if I could join, the doc recommends constant movement, so I don't get stiff. If you don't mind that is," Rhodey asks, shifting his weight slowly over his feet as he smiles slightly at her.

"You may." Nebula answers with a small nod of her head, shifting her body back into position. She ignores the odd warmth in her chest that she feels as she listens to Rhodey moving into place beside her.

Every so often, she silently corrects his stance gently when the man tries to follow her into flowing movements that she had been learning since she was young with Gamora and Proxima.

*

After a day of sparring with the Rogues, Nebula quietly concedes to let Rhodey gently take her by the hand and lead her out of the room, feeling apprehensive and yet comforted by the constant presence of her new friend. Though the man was not Gamora, always continually trying to keep her nearby, there was something intelligent and soothing about Rhodey's proximity beside her.

It was a little like she was coming out of the darkness of a cave, to behold the intense warmth of a brilliantly shining pulsar. And Rhodes had become that bright pulsar to Nebula's mind.

Rhodes has, therefore, become exceptional and pleasing to Nebula's quiet thoughts. Someone who had at first been annoying, but had somehow found a way like Stark to get underneath her armor and become someone that she had grown to care about among the few that she had grudgingly allowed close to her.

*

"I have noticed you know."

Trying not to appear scared by the sudden arrival of his friend, Rhodey, sighed as he put down the manual that he had been reading and nudged aside his bowl of assorted fruits to look up at Nebula.

"Noticed what exactly?" Rhodey asks, trying to think of what precisely that Nebula could have noticed with him recently.

"I think you know what I mean, Rhodes," Nebula said a tiny half-smile slowly appearing on her face.

"Perhaps I do. But maybe you should explain to me what you mean," Rhodey encouraged gently, leaning across the table towards the woman who had only recently become comfortable with calling him her friend.

Nebula startles them both by laughs loudly, ignoring the chastising stares from a nearby Rogers before she's gently tugging Rhodey towards her and kissing him thoroughly for a minute before she's drawing back slightly to lean her forehead against Rhodey's.

"Is that adequately a hint for you, Rhodes?"

"Yes, I do assume so, Nebula. But I wouldn't say no to infinite hints from you."

Days later, a small part of Rhodes wonders if he should be annoyed when he takes Nebula to see Tony, his friend gives him knowing looks along with the amused expression on Pepper and Happy's faces.

"You seem good for each other. I hope that you and Nebula will be happy for each other," Pepper says as they watch from a distance as Nebula and Tony interact with each other. 

"Thank you, Pepper. That means a lot," Rhodey answers her, reaching over to squeeze the woman's wrist gently.


End file.
